Health Care District Tentatively Oks Budget

The Palm Beach County Health Care District on Tuesday tentatively approved a $75.3 million budget for fiscal 1995 that retains last year's tax rate - $1.475 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

For the owner of a $125,000 house, with a $25,000 homestead exemption, that means a tax of $147.50.

The Health Care District expects to provide indigent care for an estimated 14,000 clients during the coming fiscal year - those who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but who earn less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level.

The district also runs the trauma network, which includes a Trauma Hawk helicopter and two trauma centers, at Delray Community Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach. Trauma services are projected to cost taxpayers $19.2 million in the next year.

No one opposed the budget, but representatives of the Northwest Subdistrict and Pahokee's Everglades Regional Medical Center, which is situated in that district, harshly criticized the district board for refusing to guarantee a subsidy.

For the past five years - the life of the district - Everglades, Glades General Hospital in Belle Glade and Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach have received state-mandated subsidies. But the mandate for all three hospitals expires before year's end.

That means, district executive director Cecil Bennett said, there is no longer a requirement to give $5.3 million to Bethesda; $3.7 million to Glades General; and $3.5 million to Everglades Memorial.

But, Bennett said, $7.3 million had been placed in the budget for unallocated subsidies. Several board members have indicated they do not want to subsidize Everglades Memorial, which the district wants to close.

The board also wants the hospitals to cut costs.

Everglades Memorial, which is owned by the Health Care District, has filed four lawsuits against the district. Its lawyers have persuaded the courts that the district cannot void a long-term lease and cannot close the hospital.

"I'll tell you one thing. We don't need Hendry General in Clewiston, Glades General and Everglades Memorial," Neil Whipkey, Glades General administrator, said after the budget hearing. "We don't need three MRIs, three sets of operating rooms or three administrators."

Ultimately, he predicted, one modern hospital would serve the Glades area.

Whipkey said his hospital, also owned by the Health Care District, is for sale. He said he expects an offer for purchase or for a long-term lease from a hospital management company.